New Brunswick Flyers Spark Outrage Over "Surgical Mutilation" Claims Against Gender-Affirming Care

Flyers comparing gender-affirming care to "surgical mutilation" have sparked outrage in New Brunswick after being distributed to households across the province. The mailers were sent by the Coalition Life Campaign, an Ontario-based group that identifies itself as a "national pro-life organisation" on its website.

Myles Botten, a resident of Moncton, expressed his disgust upon receiving one of the flyers. "I was expecting a package from a friend, but instead I found this flyer which really ruined the mood," Botten shared.

The flyer makes several contentious claims, including that "pushing transgenderism in schools harms children" and that puberty blockers are dangerous.

AlterAcadie, a queer advocacy group, has received numerous messages from concerned New Brunswickers about the flyer. "It's blatant disinformation and harmful messages that put youth in danger," stated Alex Arseneau, the group's executive director. "The community condemns the political strategy of creating this moral panic based on false information, especially when it targets vulnerable children."

The issue of gender identity and sexual orientation in schools has become a contentious topic in the province. In 2023, the provincial government implemented controversial changes to Policy 713, including a requirement for parental consent for children under 16 to change their preferred first names or pronouns at school.

Premier Blaine Higgs defended the changes, stating last June that "we're seeing a rapid onset of gender dysphoria. It's expanded in the last several years and it's becoming popular and trendy."

Jack Fonseca, the director of political operations at Campaign Life Coalition, asserted that the flyers were distributed to support the New Brunswick government's revisions to Policy 713. "The aim is to educate parents and let them know that this policy is at risk," Fonseca explained. "There's a lot of pressure on Premier Blaine Higgs to abandon the policy, and we don't want that to happen."

Premier Higgs, in an emailed statement to Global News, distanced the government from the Coalition Life Campaign, stating that "the provincial government does not have an affiliation with this organisation." However, he went on to defend the flyers, stating that "individuals and groups are welcome to speak out on policies and topics they feel passionately about. That's freedom of speech and democracy." Higgs also reiterated the government's stance that "parents have the right to know what's happening with their minor-aged children in school," accusing the Liberals of undermining this right.

AlterAcadie's Arseneau contends that Canada Post should have refused to distribute the flyers. However, a Canada Post spokesperson clarified in a statement that they do not have the authority to refuse mail items based on objections to their content. "The content of any mail item is the sole responsibility of the sender," the spokesperson added.

The controversy surrounding the flyers highlights the ongoing debate over gender-affirming care and the role of schools in supporting LGBTQ+ students in New Brunswick. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen what impact the flyers will have on public opinion and policy decisions.